The Broken Pieces
by FlappieDungeon
Summary: "And my answer…" She coughs. "Yes. It's yes."  It doesn't take long before she loses consciousness.
1. Iris

**A/N: Hey! Okay, here's the thing. I was just listening to a few of my favorite songs to get myself to sleep, but instead, a freaking story formed in my head and it just would _not_ go away. So here I am, 2 a.m in the morning, writing this out. Really, I don't know why I torture myself like this, because now the whole thing just came out weird. Garh. I'm truly sorry. Well, you know what Ted says, nothing good happens after 2 a.m. So, I present to you ladies and gentlemen, proof of that very statement, Exhibit 8.3a. Please, read and review. I'm shameless like that. :) **

It hurts so much. It feels as if her bones are all broken, she can't move her hands or legs, heck, she can't move at all. The only thing she wants to do is to close her eyes and wish the pain away.

"_Maybe this is how Barney felt when he got hit by a bus." She can't help thinking._

But damn, it hurts so badly. How in the world did he endure such excruciating pain? She closes her eyes and tries to tune out the commotion. It's making her head hurt.

_Can't they all shut up?_ Man, if only she had her gun. She'd make them shut up.

In the midst of the chaos and noise she hears his voice.

"_Let's go to the mall everybody!" _

God, she's becoming delusional. Barney's in Korea right now, in some super important, top secret, god-knows-what meeting. He can't possibly…

"_Throw every last care away."_

Her phone. It _is_ his voice. Her cellphone was ringing. She smiles at the memory of how that ringtone came about. A drunken karaoke night that she violently protested to at first and it had instead turned out to be one of the most memorable days of her life.

She tries to reach out for her phone but her hands do not cooperate with her efforts.

"Phone." She croaked.

Thankfully, someone answers it and puts the phone to her ears. She groans in gratitude to the individual and her pain momentarily disappears when she hears his excited voice.

"Scherbatsky! You would not believe…"

"Barney."

"Good God, woman. You sound terrible. Up all night partying?"

She could practically see him grinning widely, awaiting a comeback of any sort.

"Barney."

"Keith, we have to get her to the hospital. The ambulance won't get here in time."

"Who is that?" He questions.

"One night stand." She answers weakly.

"Hold it together Scherbatsky." She tells herself. "Don't worry him. You know how insane he gets."

Darkness starts creeping in, and Robin blinks furiously when she realizes that her vision is starting to get blurry with every passing second.

"Robin. Are you okay?" He questions again, this time, full of concern. She hears him getting up and she feels a strange need to comfort him.

"Hey miss. We are going to carry you into the car to get you to the hospital, but you have to hang up first, okay?"

"Robin! Are you okay? Who is this? Robin!" Barney was shouting now.

"Barney. See..." She grimaces as a jolt of pain rushes through her body. "Later. I love you."

"Robin!"

"And my answer…" She coughs. "Yes. It's yes."

It doesn't take long before she loses consciousness.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do. Even if she makes it through the night…"<p>

Lily breaks down in tears. Marshall pulls her closer to him as he stares into Robin's ward, still unable to process the doctor's words.

Ted too is rendered speechless. Even before the doctor finished speaking, Ted already knew the final verdict.

"_Robin Scherbatsky is going to die."_

His mind is still reeling from the phone call he received from Barney earlier that day. He was hysterically shouting on the other end of the phone, all the way from Korea, making no sense whatsoever. Robin in a hospital? No way. Ted just spoke to her a couple of hours ago. How could it be? It wasn't until the hospital called Ted that he realized how serious the situation was.

Barney was already on his way, on a flight back to New York, all Ted had to do was to inform Marshall and Lily. Even then, as he made those phone calls, Ted couldn't comprehend the magnitude of her situation.

"_Robin Scherbatsky is going to die." He repeated again._

Just a few minutes later, Ted sees Barney running into the emergency room, yelling at the nurses when they refused to answer his questions, nearly colliding into Ted when Barney spotted him.

"What the hell is going on here? What happened?"

"There was an accident. She.. she is in a pretty bad shape, Barney."

"But she's going to be fine, right? She's okay?"

"The doctor said that… No, dude. She's not." Ted bites his lips.

Barney shakes his head in disbelief and makes his way into her ward. He nearly punches one of the attendants when they blocked him and told him he couldn't go in. Marshall intervened and they let him in wordlessly.

That was the first time anyone saw Barney look so distraught, so _broken_, and it was also the last time he was able to tell Robin how much he loved her.

She never woke up.

* * *

><p>It took Ted forty three minutes to finish his eulogy. It would have finished earlier if he didn't stop every few minutes to wipe off his stream of tears. He told everyone the story of how he stole Robin the blue French horn, that they were meant to be best friends, not lovers. But there was no denying that Ted Mosby loved Robin Scherbatsky, and it tears him apart to know that his future kids would never know who she is.<p>

Lily gave a very short speech about Robin, and broke down in tears halfway through. Marshall assisted her in finishing the speech, and by the end of it, almost everyone was in tears. Everyone, except Barney.

Ted was worried sick about him. When Robin di... died, Barney didn't cry. He remained strong, made all the funeral arrangements, and did not shed a tear through the whole ordeal.

That wasn't at all like the Barney he knew.

When the time came for Barney to give his eulogy, he disappeared for a few minutes into the back room of the church, and emerged with a guitar in his hand.

Barney Stinson did not give a speech about the woman he loved more than himself, instead, he sang about her.

Clearing his throat, he started playing the guitar and his eyes never left the picture of Robin that was displayed beside the coffin.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you,  
>Cause I know that you feel me somehow.<br>You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,  
>And I don't want to go home right now.<em>

Barney's eyes started to tear, but he continued singing.

_And all I can taste is this moment,  
>And all I can breathe is your life.<br>Cause sooner or later it's over,  
>I just don't want to miss you tonight.<em>

_And I don't want the world to see me,  
>Cause I don't think that they'd understand.<br>When everything's made to be broken,  
>I just want you to know who I am.<em>

By the time Barney stops singing, there isn't a single person in the crowd without tears. Barney wipes off his own with his sleeve, and walks over to her coffin.

"Robin Scherbatsky, I love you. I love you so much…" Barney leans down to the picture of a smiling Robin, and plants a kiss on it. "So much... it hurts." He whispered.

"Goodbye Robin."

* * *

><p>If Ted expected Barney to mourn over Robin by sleeping around with hot blondes or by getting drunk day and night, Ted would be disappointed. Barney seemed normal, but Marshall and Ted both were convinced that Barney was not okay. He wouldn't listen to them, or talk about it, so they resorted to the last possible way there was.<p>

Lily.

But the problem was that Lily herself was inconsolable these past few months. Sure, she stopped crying, but when Robin died, it was as if she took a little bit of Lily with her. And practically all of Barney.

Ted and Marshall dealt with her death in their own way, there was still a hole, a big gaping hole that only Robin can fill, but they were terribly worried about the other two members of the gang.

Lily was on her way to acceptance, but Barney, hell, no one knew how he was actually holding up. He stopped telling long, elaborate, ridiculous stories, stopped getting laid, and stopped… living. He went to work, met up with them for a drink or two, and went home straight after.

It was time. Time to send Lily Aldrin. Best friend and confidante of Barney Stinson.

* * *

><p>"Barney."<p>

"Oh. Hey Lil. What are you doing here?"

Lily shrugged and took a moment to look around Barney's apartment. She saw Robin's stuff displayed all over the living room, the apartment smelt like Robin's shampoo, and Barney... was not in a suit.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Uh, is there anything you want?"

She shakes her head and walks to the couch.

"I miss her."

Barney sits beside her and squeezes his eyes shut.

"Me too, Lil."

"I've cried till there aren't any tears left."

Barney doesn't answer her; he just nods in acknowledgement and sighs.

"You have to stop this, Barney. Stop suffering alone. We are supposed to…."

"I asked her to marry me."

Lily gasped.

"And she said yes."

"Oh my god."

"But life is a funny thing, Lil. It takes the person you love away from you the moment you think you have everything all figured out."

He stands up and Lily could see that he is clenching his fists together.

"I didn't get to say goodbye."

"Oh honey… None of us did." Lily was starting to cry again.

"I didn't get to tell her that I loved her."

Barney sits again and he turns to look at Lily. His piercing blue eyes stare into hers, and tears are falling fast, rolling down his cheeks.

He wipes them away furiously and Lily envelops him into a hug.

Barney doesn't protest or pull away, he remains still and Lily rubs her hands behind his back soothingly.

"What am I going to do without her?" He asks quietly, and his body starts shaking.

And that is when Barney cries his heart out, not caring any longer about putting on a brave face, or hiding his feelings behind a tough exterior and suits.

His Robin Scherbatsky was gone, and he wished she had taken him with her.

It would take a long time before a world without Robin was worth living in again. Because she would forever hold the broken pieces of Barney Stinson's heart, it cannot be whole again.

And he never took off the ring. Not once, not ever.


	2. Angel

**A/N: Yeah, yeah. I know this was supposed to be a one time thing, but I just couldn't help it. :( No, its not 2 a.m, so I can't blame this using that excuse again. I'm very sorry. Btw, thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate them, seeing that I thought it sucked. Anyways, if you like this one, please, review or something, it sort of is my drug. And if you don't, tell me what's wrong with it and I'll completely understand. :) *crawls and hides in the corner* Hope you like it. Enjoy! **

"Hey Scherbatsky. Wake up."

_Spend all your time waiting, for that second chance._

"Come on now, Sparkles." He squeezed her hand gently.

_For a break that would make it okay._

No response.

_There's always some reason, to feel not good enough._

"Flugelhorn." He whispered. Their code word, for when things got too far.

_And it's hard at the end of the day._

"Damn it, Scherbatsky. Get up." He said, voice breaking.

Robin's face was pale and covered with bruises. With every second that went by, Barney could feel bile rising up to his mouth, he felt helpless and terrified, he felt sick.

"Robin."

No more endearing names. Barney was desperate; he just wanted her to talk to him. Tell him that he was being an absolute wimp, a baby, anything. _Something_.

"Please. Open your eyes, just..." He chokes back a sob. "Open them."

It was all so heartbreaking to watch. Robin laying comatose in the ward, completely unresponsive, Barney's futile attempts to wake her up, while the remaining three just standing close by, each of them with blank looks plastered on their faces, wondering why this had to happen to one of them.

There were thousands, nay, _millions_ of people in the great city of New York, but why, why of all people did it have to be Robin Scherbatsky?

_I need some distraction, oh beautiful release. Memories seep from my veins._

When Lily starts crying, Barney just looks at her and shakes his head.

"She'll get up soon. Don't worry. She'll be fine." His voice was hoarse, and it sounded more as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact, not Lily.

_Let me be empty, oh and weightless and maybe, I'll find some peace tonight._

When the doctors come in to deliver the 'bad news', as they called it, Barney completely ignored them and started making calls to have her transferred to another hospital. Where the doctors are not quitters, where something could be done, where there was still.. _hope_.

Marshall urged Ted to say something, it was clear_; Robin Scherbatsky was going to die. _Giving Barney false hope… it would just hurt him more in the end.

They seated him at the corner of the ward; (he wouldn't leave Robin's side), and tried to convince him not to go on with his plans.

Finally, Barney merely nods, and asks them to leave the room. He wanted time for a final goodbye.

_In the arms of the angel, _

_Fly away, from here._

_From this dark, cold hotel room._

_And the endlessness that you fear._

_You are pulled from the wreckage,_

_Of your silent reverie._

_You're in the arms of the angel.._

Barney sits beside Robin and puts his face close to hers. He takes a deep breath, inhaling the smell of her, and examines her face. He tries to remember every single part of her, how she smiles when she sees adorable puppies, how beautiful she looks even when she is angry and about to shoot him in the face, how she was the only one capable of making him feel those damned feelings that makes him feel the rush of those butterflies in his stomach, threatening to make him throw up with joy on his custom made shoes, and, her voice as she said yes to his proposal.

Robin Scherbatsky was going to be his fiancé.

Barney lies down beside her on the cramped hospital bed, all the while making sure that he was not hurting her in any way. He kisses her lips and runs his fingers along her face.

He hugs her tightly and his eyes start watering.

How does one say goodbye to the person that gives your life meaning?

Barney buries his head in her chest and starts sobbing. His heart hurt, and hell, how would this pain stop?

He whispers something in her ears, and fervently wishes that she could hear him.

He told Lily that his last words to Robin were, 'I love you.'

He told Ted it was, 'I'll miss you.'

He told Marshall that his parting words to Robin were, 'You'll forever be in my heart.'

In truth, all he said was: 'Take me with you.'

…_May you find some comfort here._

* * *

><p>Even after the funeral, Barney feels that he is incapable of tears. Yeah, his eyes teared up when he sang Robin's favorite song, but he felt mostly numb throughout, even as people expressed condolences. Maybe Barney Stinson is not human, after all.<p>

But after Lily's visit, he finally did cry. He cried his heart out, hands and body shaking violently; he shouted in pain at the never ending stab to his heart that he felt every time he thought of Robin.

"Robin. Robin. Robin. Robin."

He said her name repeatedly as he cried, like a fervent prayer that could change the way things were.

"_What am I going to do without her?" _He can't help thinking.

_It don't make no difference,_

_Escaping one last time,_

_It's easier to believe._

_In this sweet madness,_

_Oh this glorious sadness,_

_That brings me to my knees._

He plays all her Robin Sparkles video on his television, the segments of her morning show that he loyally recorded and watched without her knowledge, and even paid the telephone company so that he could hear her professional voice saying that she would call back later, ending with her giggling hysterically instead. He remembers why, he showed her the video of the damned monkey in a suit and she just lost it.

He loved making her laugh. He missed coming up with stupid, yet _awesome_, elaborate schemes and plans to surprise her, because he always got rewarded (with you know what, what up?) and she would so gently whisper, 'You're an idiot' in his ears and he would grin stupidly for the rest of the day.

He lies on his bed each night, trying to vividly remember every single moment they have spent together. He relives each joke, each kiss, each time they made love, and each goodbye.

It was just too bad that he never got to properly say his final goodbye, the one in the hospital sure as hell didn't count, he wasn't even sure if she heard half the things he said.

But that night, as he lies on his bed and hugs her pillow, (with cartoon penguins on it) he stares at the ceiling and his eyes involuntarily waters.

He feels her beside him, telling him that he will be okay. He closes his eyes and suddenly feels her fingers intertwining with his own.

"Robin."

The ring he put on her finger at the hospital was buried with her, but Barney wore his until the day he died. Because Barney Stinson loved no one but Robin Scherbatsky, even till the end of time.

_You're in the arms of the angel,_

_May you find some comfort here._


End file.
